RBI puts banks under scanner for sale of gold investment products

29 Apr 2013 Evaluate

To find out whether bank employees are mis-selling gold-related investment products to customers, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is looking into sale of gold coins and gold-related investment products of around 30 banks. The central bank’s move follows the complaints of customers being induced by bank employees and non-staff members within bank premises for purchase of gold related products.

Further, the central bank is also examining whether such products are being sold as a pre-condition for offering the regular banking services. The central bank is also looking into complaints that bank staff is being pressurized by their senior officers to sell gold-related products in lieu of incentives.

Earlier, the RBI, in its successive Financial Stability Reports, highlighted the serious concerns over bank branches selling gold coins, mutual funds and insurance products. However, it has already proposed slew of measures like mandatory quoting of PAN numbers for high-value gold purchases, restriction on gold loans and check on NBFC branches dealing with gold loans.

Last month, the RBI had ordered an investigation into three private sector banks, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and Axis Bank, for alleged violation of money-laundering norms after a sting operation by a news portal claimed major lapses on this front at these banks.

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